George Wallace said:
Civilian 9 to 5 thinking.....Common in the Air Force, but not in other Military Elements.
This is a myth; our Sqn has 5 air crews and 2 ground crews [1st line techs] and I assure you there isn't a 9-5 mindset
or reality. I bet there are a few 'wishful thinkings' though. The folks in Sqn Ops, the SOR, etc also work hours required to keep things moving. I've had take off times that range from late at night/middle of the night/weekends/very early morning/mid afternoon, you name it. When we launch, it's not like we just show up, crank up and go bombing down the runway:
- We brief first. That involves Met Techs, Int, Wg Ops, etc. They are at work to prep all that before we show up.
- the ground crew are doing their checks, snags, etc. They are also our Start crew, so after checks are complete, they aren't quite done yet.
- Wing Replenishment types are delivering fuel.
- Flight Feeding folks are prepping our meals, coffee etc and deliver it from the Mess to our airstair, before engines on.
- the ATC folks are at their stations, controlling ground/air traffic.
- Fire Services types are doing their thing.
- in the Winter, SNIC is hard at it keeping the runway(s) clear for our departure/return.
- WTISS and WLEO are keeping all the infrastructure and airfield serviceable.
The ground crews are there when we land, parking us after the ATC folks have done their thing. If the ramp is full of ice and snow, a driver is usually there to carry us and all our kit back to Wing Ops. Someone from Ops is there to sign kit back in, at times de-brief/do other EOM activities that might need to be done. Tech's are starting to action anything that wasn't working right, or get the plane ready for the next event.
All of these people, and our, 'timings' are anything but 9-5. We also have a standby crew on call, 24/7 - 365 days a year. That means all those folks who support us also have people on standby 24/7 - 365.
The SAR Sqn is likely something similar, and all of the support types I've mentioned are also working to keep those folks ready for a launch. Life on the Ops side of the Wing isn't the way a lot of people seem to think it is.
The 8-4 life may exist on the Admin side of the Wing, but that's the benefit of doing that type of job. But, the clerk at the WOR also isn't getting spec pay and aircrew allowance, or going to (sometimes) nice places on away trips.
Bit of a de-rail I know, but I wanted to help clear up the myth/perception about life for those of us on Sqn, and all the folks who make it that we can fly the mission. A lot of folks in green may have enjoyed a "long weekend" for Canada Day, taking Monday off/short day/"min manning"/etc. At 0500 that Monday morning I [and the rest of my Crew] was driving home after getting back from a mission that started mid-day Sunday. All of the trades I mentioned were also working too.
There's always something to do, something going on and it takes lots of folks to make stuff like this happen: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152124974231237&set=a.10150142814416237.282538.61263506236&type=1&fref=nf
The biggest "9-5" attitude I've seen was during my time at a CBGHQ, except it was more of an *8-3* one. Or, 8-2ish on a Friday or during the summer.
:2c: